per-modestus

obscūrus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. sku, to cover, akin to Gr. skeuê, skutos, kutos; cf.: scutum, cutis], dark, darksome, dusky, shady, obscure (class.).

Lit.: unde (Acherunte) animae excitantur obscurā umbrā, in dark, shadowy forms, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; so,

umbra,

Verg. A. 6, 453:

donec in obscurum coni conduxit acumen,

the obscure point of the cone, Lucr. 4, 431:

lucus,

Verg. A. 9, 87:

antrum,

Ov. M. 4, 100:

convalles,

Verg. A. 6, 139:

tabernae,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf. Liv. 10, 1, 5: aliae res obnoxiosae nocte in obscurā latent, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 16 (17), 10 (Trag. v. 341 Vahl.):

nox,

Verg. A. 2, 420; cf.:

per occasum solis, jam obscurā luce,

Liv. 24, 21:

caelum,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 15:

nimbus,

Verg. A. 12, 416:

nubes,

id. G. 4, 60:

ferrugo,

i. e. black, id. ib. 1, 467:

dentes,

Juv. 6, 145.— Poet.: funda, dark, i. e. invisible, Val. Fl. 6, 193; cf.

mamma,

i. e. hidden, covered, id. 3, 52, 6:

aquae,

i. e. turbid, Ov. F. 4, 758.— Subst.: obscūrum, i, n., dim light, twilight:

in obscuro, advesperascente die,

Vulg. Prov. 7, 9; but commonly the dark, darkness, obscurity:

sub obscurum noctis,

Verg. G. 1, 478:

lumen,

i. e. darkness visible, Sall. J. 21, 2.— obscū-rum, adverb.:

obscurum nimbosus dissidet aër,

Luc. 5, 631.—

Transf., to the person who is in the dark, darkling, unseen:

ibant obscuri solā sub nocte per umbram,

Verg. A. 6, 268:

obscurus in ulvā Delitui,

id. ib. 2, 135.—

Trop.

In gen., dark, obscure, indistinct, unintelligible:

Heraclitus... Clarus ob obscuram linguam,

Lucr. 1, 639: valde Heraclitus obscurus (cf. the Gr. appellation of Heraclitus, ho skoteinos), Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133:

quid? poëta nemo, nemo physicus obscurus?

id. ib.:

obscurā de re tam lucida pango carmina,

Lucr. 1, 933; 4, 8:

brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio,

Hor. A. P. 25:

reperta Graiorum,

Lucr. 1, 136:

obscurum et ignotum jus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

cur hoc tam est obscurum atque caecum?

id. Agr. 2, 14, 35:

nolo plebem Romanam obscurā spe et caecā expectatione haerere,

uncertain, id. ib. 2, 25, 66.— Comp., Quint. 11, 3, 60.— Sup.:

videre res obscurissimas,

Cic. de Or. 2, 36, 153.— Subst.:

causae in obscuro positae,

Cels. 1 praef. —

In partic., rhet. t. t.: obscurum genus causae, obscure, i. e. intricate, involved, Gr. dusparakolouthêton, Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20:

(causae privatae) sunt multo saepe obscuriores,

id. de Or. 2, 24, 100.—

Not known, unknown, not recognized:

forma,

Ov. M. 3, 475:

P Ilas,

i. e. disguised, under another form, id. ib. 6, 36.—Esp. of rank and station, obscure, ignoble, mean, low:

non est obscura tua in me benevolentia,

Cic. Fam. 13, 70: Caesaris in barbaris erat nomen obscurius, * Caes. B. C. 1, 61:

Pompeius humili atque obscuro loco natus,

of an obscure, ignoble family, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181:

obscuris orti majoribus,

from obscure ancestors, id. Off. 1, 32, 116:

clarus an obscurus,

Quint. 5, 10, 26; cf.:

si nobilis obscurum se vocet,

id. 11, 1, 21; 2, 3, 9:

non obscurus professor et auctor,

id. 2, 15, 36:

natus haud obscuro loco,

Sall. C. 23, 1.— Neutr. absol.:

in obscuro vitam habere,

Sall. C. 51, 12:

vitam per obscurum transmittere,

in obscurity, Sen. Ep. 19, 3:

saepe mandatum initio litis in obscuro est,

kept back, Gai. Inst. 4, 84.—

Of character, close, secret, reserved:

obscurus et astutus homo,

Cic. Off. 3, 13, 5 (for which:

sin me astutum et occultum lubet fingere,

id. Fam. 3, 10, 8):

plerumque modestus Occupat obscuri speciem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 94:

Tiberium obscurum adversus alios, sibi uni incautum intectumque efficeret,

Tac. A. 4, 1:

obscurum odium,

Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 6.— Comp.:

natura obscurior,

Tac. Agr. 42.— Adv.: ob-scūrē, darkly, obscurely (class.).

Lit.: aut nihil superum aut obscure admodum cernimus, very darkly, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 474, 28.—

Trop.

Of speech, darkly, obscurely, indistinctly:

dicta,

Quint. 3, 4, 3; 4, 1, 79.— Comp.:

quae causa dicta obscurius est,

Quint. 8, 2, 24.— Sup.:

obscurissime particulā uti, Cell. 17, 13, 5: non obscurissime dicere (opp. planissime),

id. 11, 16, 9.—

Of birth, obscurely, ignobly, meanly (perh. only post-class.):

obscure natus,

Macr. S. 7, 3:

obscurissime natus,

Amm. 29, 1, 5.—

Covertly, closely, secretly:

malum obscure serpens,

Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 6:

tacite obscureque perire,

id. Quint. 15, 50:

non obscure ferre aliquid,

id. Clu. 19, 54; cf. id. Par. 6, 1, 45; Hirt. B. G. 8, 54.— Comp.:

ceteri sunt obscurius iniqui,

more secretly, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2.— Sup.:

avertere aliquid de publico quam obscurissime,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53.

obscūrus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. sku, to cover, akin to Gr. skeuê, skutos, kutos; cf.: scutum, cutis], dark, darksome, dusky, shady, obscure (class.).

Lit.: unde (Acherunte) animae excitantur obscurā umbrā, in dark, shadowy forms, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; so,

umbra,

Verg. A. 6, 453:

donec in obscurum coni conduxit acumen,

the obscure point of the cone, Lucr. 4, 431:

lucus,

Verg. A. 9, 87:

antrum,

Ov. M. 4, 100:

convalles,

Verg. A. 6, 139:

tabernae,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf. Liv. 10, 1, 5: aliae res obnoxiosae nocte in obscurā latent, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 16 (17), 10 (Trag. v. 341 Vahl.):

nox,

Verg. A. 2, 420; cf.:

per occasum solis, jam obscurā luce,

Liv. 24, 21:

caelum,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 15:

nimbus,

Verg. A. 12, 416:

nubes,

id. G. 4, 60:

ferrugo,

i. e. black, id. ib. 1, 467:

dentes,

Juv. 6, 145.— Poet.: funda, dark, i. e. invisible, Val. Fl. 6, 193; cf.

mamma,

i. e. hidden, covered, id. 3, 52, 6:

aquae,

i. e. turbid, Ov. F. 4, 758.— Subst.: obscūrum, i, n., dim light, twilight:

in obscuro, advesperascente die,

Vulg. Prov. 7, 9; but commonly the dark, darkness, obscurity:

sub obscurum noctis,

Verg. G. 1, 478:

lumen,

i. e. darkness visible, Sall. J. 21, 2.— obscū-rum, adverb.:

obscurum nimbosus dissidet aër,

Luc. 5, 631.—

Transf., to the person who is in the dark, darkling, unseen:

ibant obscuri solā sub nocte per umbram,

Verg. A. 6, 268:

obscurus in ulvā Delitui,

id. ib. 2, 135.—

Trop.

In gen., dark, obscure, indistinct, unintelligible:

Heraclitus... Clarus ob obscuram linguam,

Lucr. 1, 639: valde Heraclitus obscurus (cf. the Gr. appellation of Heraclitus, ho skoteinos), Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133:

quid? poëta nemo, nemo physicus obscurus?

id. ib.:

obscurā de re tam lucida pango carmina,

Lucr. 1, 933; 4, 8:

brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio,

Hor. A. P. 25:

reperta Graiorum,

Lucr. 1, 136:

obscurum et ignotum jus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

cur hoc tam est obscurum atque caecum?

id. Agr. 2, 14, 35:

nolo plebem Romanam obscurā spe et caecā expectatione haerere,

uncertain, id. ib. 2, 25, 66.— Comp., Quint. 11, 3, 60.— Sup.:

videre res obscurissimas,

Cic. de Or. 2, 36, 153.— Subst.:

causae in obscuro positae,

Cels. 1 praef. —

In partic., rhet. t. t.: obscurum genus causae, obscure, i. e. intricate, involved, Gr. dusparakolouthêton, Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20:

(causae privatae) sunt multo saepe obscuriores,

id. de Or. 2, 24, 100.—

Not known, unknown, not recognized:

forma,

Ov. M. 3, 475:

P Ilas,

i. e. disguised, under another form, id. ib. 6, 36.—Esp. of rank and station, obscure, ignoble, mean, low:

non est obscura tua in me benevolentia,

Cic. Fam. 13, 70: Caesaris in barbaris erat nomen obscurius, * Caes. B. C. 1, 61:

Pompeius humili atque obscuro loco natus,

of an obscure, ignoble family, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181:

obscuris orti majoribus,

from obscure ancestors, id. Off. 1, 32, 116:

clarus an obscurus,

Quint. 5, 10, 26; cf.:

si nobilis obscurum se vocet,

id. 11, 1, 21; 2, 3, 9:

non obscurus professor et auctor,

id. 2, 15, 36:

natus haud obscuro loco,

Sall. C. 23, 1.— Neutr. absol.:

in obscuro vitam habere,

Sall. C. 51, 12:

vitam per obscurum transmittere,

in obscurity, Sen. Ep. 19, 3:

saepe mandatum initio litis in obscuro est,

kept back, Gai. Inst. 4, 84.—

Of character, close, secret, reserved:

obscurus et astutus homo,

Cic. Off. 3, 13, 5 (for which:

sin me astutum et occultum lubet fingere,

id. Fam. 3, 10, 8):

plerumque modestus Occupat obscuri speciem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 94:

Tiberium obscurum adversus alios, sibi uni incautum intectumque efficeret,

Tac. A. 4, 1:

obscurum odium,

Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 6.— Comp.:

natura obscurior,

Tac. Agr. 42.— Adv.: ob-scūrē, darkly, obscurely (class.).

Lit.: aut nihil superum aut obscure admodum cernimus, very darkly, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 474, 28.—

Trop.

Of speech, darkly, obscurely, indistinctly:

dicta,

Quint. 3, 4, 3; 4, 1, 79.— Comp.:

quae causa dicta obscurius est,

Quint. 8, 2, 24.— Sup.:

obscurissime particulā uti, Cell. 17, 13, 5: non obscurissime dicere (opp. planissime),

id. 11, 16, 9.—

Of birth, obscurely, ignobly, meanly (perh. only post-class.):

obscure natus,

Macr. S. 7, 3:

obscurissime natus,

Amm. 29, 1, 5.—

Covertly, closely, secretly:

malum obscure serpens,

Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 6:

tacite obscureque perire,

id. Quint. 15, 50:

non obscure ferre aliquid,

id. Clu. 19, 54; cf. id. Par. 6, 1, 45; Hirt. B. G. 8, 54.— Comp.:

ceteri sunt obscurius iniqui,

more secretly, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2.— Sup.:

avertere aliquid de publico quam obscurissime,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53.

mŏdestĭa, ae, f. [modestus], moderateness, moderation; esp. in one's behavior, unassuming conduct, modesty (opp. immodestia, superbia, licentia; class.).

In gen.: eam virtutem Graeci sôphrosunên vocant:

quam soleo equidem tum temperantiam, tum moderationem appellare, nonnumquam etiam modestiam,

Cic. Tusc. 3, 8, 16; cf.:

modestia est in animo continens moderatio cupiditatum,

Auct. Her. 3, 2, 3:

rectum dividitur in prudentiam, justitiam, fortitudinem, modestiam,

id. ib.:

disserebat de suā modestiā,

want of confidence in himself, Tac. A. 1, 11 init. —

In partic.

Unassuming conduct, discretion, moderation, sobriety of behavior (the predom. signif. of the word):

sarta tecta tua precepta usque habui mea modestia,

Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 36:

sine modo et modestia,

id. Bacch. 4, 3, 2:

temperantiae partes sunt continentia, clementia, modestia,

Cic. Inv. 2, 54, 164; cf.:

modestia est, per quam pudor honestus claram et stabilem comparat auctoritatem,

id. ib.:

non minus se in milite modestiam et continentiam, quam virtutem et animi magnitudinem desiderare,

Caes. B. G. 7, 52:

in dicendo,

Cic. Phil. 2, 5, 10:

modestia et humanitas,

id. Att. 7, 5, 2:

neque modum, neque modestiam victores habent,

Sall. C. 11, 4.—

Shame, shamefacedness, modesty:

et sententiarum et compositionis et vocis et vultūs modestia,

Quint. 4, 1, 55: virginalis, Pac. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 31, 66; cf.:

primaeque modestia culpae Confundit vultus,

Stat. Th. 2, 232; poet.: vacui lecti, i. e. (chaste) celibacy, id. Silv. 1, 2, 162.—

Sense of honor, honor, dignity:

neque sumptui, neque modestiae suae parcere,

Sall. C. 14, 6.—

As a transl. of the Gr. eutaxia, in the lang. of the Stoics, the quality of saying and doing everything in the proper place and at the proper time, correctness of conduct, propriety: sic fit, ut modestia haec, quam ita interpretamur, ut dixi, scientia sit opportunitatis idoneo rum ad agendum temporum, Cic. Off. 1, 40, 142 (v. the entire context).—

(Post-Aug)

Of the weather, mildness:

hiemis,

Tac. A. 12, 43 (cf.:

clementia hiemis,

Col. 5, 5, 6).—

Of the course of a stream, gentleness:

aquarum modestia,

gentle course, Plin. 6, 20, 23, § 71.

mŏdus, i, m. [root med-, measure, weigh; Gr. medomai, medontes, mêstôr, medimnos; cf.: modius, modestus, moderor], a measure with which, or according to which, any thing is measured, its size, length, circumference, quantity (freq. and class.).

Lit.

In gen.:

modi, quibus metirentur rura,

Varr. R. R. 1, 10, 1:

is modus acnua Latine appellatur,

id. ib. 1, 10, 2:

filio agri reliquit ei non magnum modum,

Plaut. Aul. prol. 13:

hoc erat in votis, modus agri non ita magnus,

Hor. S. 2, 6, 1:

de modo agri scripsit,

Cic. Att. 13, 33, 2:

de modo agri (actio), cum a venditore emptor deceptus est,

Paul. Sent. 1, 19, 1:

modus hic agri nostro non sufficit horto,

Juv. 14, 172:

modus altitudinis et latitudinis (sulcorum),

Col. 11, 3, 4:

collis modum jugeri continens,

Col. Arbor. 1, 6:

ut omnium par modus sit,

Cels. 3, 27; cf. Col. 12, 23:

falsus,

false measure, Dig. 11, 6: magnus legionum, Vell. 2, 73, 2: hic mihi conteritur vitae modus, measure or term of life, Prop. 1, 7, 9.—

In partic.

Pregn., a proper measure, due measure:

in modo fundi non animadverso lapsi sunt multi,

Varr. R. R. 1, 11:

suus cuique (rei) modus est,

Cic. Or. 22, 73:

ordine et modo,

id. Off. 1, 5, 14:

modum alicujus rei habere,

to observe measure in a thing, not exceed the bounds of moderation, id. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 144:

vox quasi extra modum absona,

beyond measure, immoderately, id. de Or. 3, 11, 41:

cum lacus praeter modum crevisset,

id. Div. 1, 44, 100:

ii sine dubio fidem et modum transeunt,

id. Off. 1, 29, 102:

supra modum in servos suos saevire,

Gai. Inst. 1, 53:

sine modo modestiāque,

without measure, without moderation, Sall. J. 41, 9:

sine modo ac modestia agi,

Liv. 26, 48, 11.—

The measure of tones, measure, rhythm, melody, harmony, time; in poetry, measure, metre, mode:

vocum,

Cic. Div. 2, 3, 9:

musici,

Quint. 1, 10, 14:

lyrici,

Ov. H. 15, 6:

fidibus Latinis Thebanos aptare modos,

Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 12: Bacchico exsultas (i. e. exsultans) modo, Enn. ap. Charis. p. 214 P. (Trag. v. 152 Vahl.):

flebilibus modis concinere,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 44, 106: saltare ad tibicinis modos, to the music or sound of the flute, Liv. 7, 2:

nectere canoris Eloquium vocale modis,

Juv. 7, 19.—Fig.:

verae numerosque modosque ediscere vitae,

moral harmonies, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 144.—

Transf.

A measure which is not to be exceeded, a bound, limit, end, restriction, etc.:

modus muliebris nullust, neque umquam lavando et fricando modum scimus facere,

Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 21:

quis modus tibi tandem exilio eveniet,

id. Merc. 3, 4, 67:

modum aliquem et finem orationi facere,

to set bounds to, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 48, § 118:

ludendi est quidem modus retinendus,

id. Off. 1, 29, 104:

imponere alicui,

Liv. 4, 24, 4:

cum modum irae nullum faceret,

id. 4, 50, 4:

modum transire,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 17, 4:

cupidinibus statuat natura modum quem,

Hor. S. 1, 2, 111:

inimicitiarum modum facere,

Cic. Sull. 17, 48:

modum statuarum haberi nullum placet,

id. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 144:

qui rebus infinitis modum constituant,

id. Fin. 1, 1, 2:

constituere,

id. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 145: modus vitae, tou biou telos, Prop. 1, 7, 9. —With gen. gerund.:

modum lugendi aliquando facere,

to make an end of mourning, Cic. Fam. 5, 16, 6.— Poet. with inf.:

nam quis erit saevire modus?

Stat. Th. 12, 573; cf. the foll.—

A way, manner, mode, method:

modus est, in quo quem ad modum, et quo animo factum sit, quaeritur, Ejus partes sunt prudentia, et imprudentia,

Cic. Inv. 1, 27, 41:

nullum modum esse hominis occidendi quo ille non aliquot occiderit,

id. Rosc. Am. 35, 100:

nec enim semper (hae partes) tractantur uno modo,

id. Or. 35, 122:

vitae,

way of life, id. Tusc. 5, 23, 66:

caelestium ordinem... imitari vitae modo,

id. Sen. 21, 77: quibus modis, by what method of acting, i. e. what means, Sall. C. 5, 6:

cultores has Alpis modo tuto transmittere,

Liv. 21, 30, 8.— Poet. with inf.:

nec modus inserere atque oculos imponere simplex,

Verg. G. 2, 73.—

Esp. freq.: modo, in modum, or ad modum, with a gen. or adj., in the manner of, like:

servorum modo,

in the manner of, like slaves, Liv. 39, 26:

pecorum modo trahi,

Tac. A. 4, 25:

in modum ramorum,

Col. Arbor. 22:

in nostrum modum,

in our manner, Tac. H. 3, 25:

servilem in modum cruciari,

like slaves, Cic. Verr. 1, 5, 13; Caes. B. G. 6, 19, 3; Suet. Calig. 56:

mirum in modum,

in a wonderful manner, wonderfully, Caes. B. G. 1, 41:

ad hunc modum distributis legionibus,

in this manner, id. ib. 5, 24:

naves ad hunc modum factae,

id. ib. 3, 13:

nos nostras more nostro et modo instruximus legiones,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 66:

non tuo hoc fiet modo,

id. Men. 2, 1, 25:

si humano modo, si usitato more peccāsset,

after the manner of men, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 3, § 8; cf.:

Carneadeo more et modo disputata,

id. Univ. 1; for which with gen.:

apis Matinae More modoque,

Hor. C. 4, 2, 28; and:

agendi more ac modo,

Quint. 11, 1, 29:

tali modo,

in such a manner, in such wise, Nep. Att. 21, 1:

nullo modo,

in no wise, by no means, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 76, § 186:

omni modo egi cum rege et ago cotidie,

in every way, earnestly, urgently, id. Att. 6, 2, 7: omnibus modis tibi esse rem salvam [p. 1157] ut scias, Plaut. Ps. 4, 6, 13:

omnibus modis miser sum,

every way, wholly, completely, Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 79:

miris modis,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 3, § 9; Liv. 1, 57, 6; Hor. C. 2, 17, 21:

mille modis amor ignorandust,

Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 30:

hoc multis modis reprehendi potest,

Cic. Fin. 2, 26, 82 (v. Madv. ad h. l.); so,

filium multis modis jam exspecto, ut redeat domum,

very much, Ter. Hec. 2, 3, 7; cf.

multimodis: mira miris modis,

Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 5; cf.

mirimodis: eum tibi commendo in majorem modum,

very much, greatly, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 12 (14), 3:

nullo modo,

id. Fin. 2, 31, 102; Col. 9, 8; Suet. Tit. 2:

bono modo,

moderately, Cato, R. R. 5:

bono modo desiderare aliquid,

Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 6, 3: ejus modi, of that kind, of such a kind or sort (freq.):

ejusmodi sunt tempestates consecutae, ut,

Caes. B. G. 3, 29, 2:

in ejusmodi casu,

id. ib. 5, 33, 4;

6, 34, 7: erant ejusmodi fere situs oppidorum, ut,

id. ib. 3, 12, 1:

petitionis nostrae hujusmodi ratio est,

Cic. Att. 1, 1, 1; so,

cujusquemodi, cujusdammodi, cujusmodicumque, cuimodi, cuicuimodi, v. Zumpt, § 678: cujusmodi,

of what sort, Cic. Fam. 15, 20, 3:

cujuscemodi,

of what sort soever, id. Inv. 2, 45, 134: hujusmodi, hujuscemodi, of this kind, such:

hujusmodi casus,

Caes. B. C. 2, 22:

hujuscemodi verba,

Sall. J. 9 fin.:

illiusmodi,

of that kind, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 21, 68; so,

istiusmodi amicos,

Plaut. Rud. 2, 2, 15.—

In gram., a form of a verb, a voice or mood:

in verbo fiunt soloecismi per genera, tempora, personas, modos, etc.,

Quint. 1, 5, 41: patiendi modus ( the passive voice)... faciendi modus ( the active voice), id. 9, 3, 7; cf. 1, 6, 26.